Most oenophiles aren't exactly lining up to taste the latest season of kosher wines, which, in serious wine-drinking circles, have long been deemed inferior to their mainstream counterparts. For many wine fans, the kosher designation is deeply associated with syrupy and unsophisticated Kiddush wines that have little if any distinguishing character aside from their sickening sweetness. For others, kosher wine dredges up memories of tiny plastic cups full of Manischewitz served at Passover Seders alongside overly gelatinous gefilte fish and bitter herbs. It's no wonder then that so many Kashrut-observing Jews (or simply reformed, secular Jews) are resistant to the idea of kosher wine. This distaste, however, often stems from misunderstanding of what constitutes kosher.
Kosher Wine Qualifications
Kosher wine resembles non-kosher wine in most respects, from the growing and crushing processes to fermentation and bottling techniques. There are a number of key differences, though, in the way the grapes are harvested and, more generally, how the vineyards are composed. For one thing, for wine to qualify as kosher, the grapes from which it's made must not be younger than four years old. This can place an unreasonable demand on growers struggling to turn a profit, which means in turn that fewer and fewer wineries are able to produce kosher bottles. Second, kosher vineyards must lie fallow every seventh year, per Jewish Law, exerting even more pressure on kosher vintners. Third, no other crop may be allowed to mingle with grapes set aside for kosher wine. All of this is meant to ensure that the final product meets the strictest standards of Kashrut, or Jewish dietary law. Additionally, kosher wines must also:
- Be made in tanks that have been cleaned a minimum of three times and that haven't been used in the making of non-kosher wine;
- Contain no animal products, including the gelatin and egg whites often used to clarify muddy or sediment-rich wines;
- Be depleted of roughly one-tenth of their total volume before they're bottled, in a ritual that pays tribute to the ancient concept of tithing, or paying 10 percent of one's earnings to the temple; and
- In some cases be flash pasteurized at temperatures near boiling to "lock in" the kosher quality. This step is designed to keep wines kosher even if they're served by gentile bartenders, waiters, or dinner hosts.
Thanks to improved crushing, distilling, fermenting, and bottling methods, many contemporary wines sit right there alongside the Beringers, Coppollas, and Mondavis that are staples for the average wine consumer. In fact, trial after trial proves that the ordinary wine-drinker in a blind taste test can make no determination as to which wines are kosher and which are not. What's more, modern distribution systems are bringing more and more bottles of kosher wine from their homes in France, Spain, California, and of course Israel, to shores where kosher products have been exceedingly difficult to find. So before you break out the ages-old Manischewitz once again this Passover, spend some time researching kosher cabernets, merlots, and chardonnays that will make for a far more memorable Seder.
